Land records are not recorded in the order in which they were executed. They are recorded in the order in which they were brought to the courthouse for recording. Your ancestor may have waited a few years to record his deed. He may have forgotten and when the heirs went to settle up they discovered that Pa had never recorded his deed. They’d have to record it before they could record any deeds of sale or transfer after his death.
If your landowning ancestor lived in a county from 1830-1852, don’t stop looking for land deeds in 1852. There could be records recorded much later. It was the purchaser who recorded the deed. If your relative sold his property to an unorganized purchaser, that deed may not have been immediately recorded.
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One response
This happened with one of my ancestors. He died in 1856, but the deed was not recorded until 1872, I believe because the courthouse was too far for them to travel. It was not until a new courthouse was built closer to them that they recorded the deed.